


New Life

by Duke_The_Bounty_Hunter



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Hope, M/M, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21575605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duke_The_Bounty_Hunter/pseuds/Duke_The_Bounty_Hunter
Summary: A twist on the Tudors - the lives of Katherine of Aragon, Katherine Howard, Thomas Culpeper and Thomas Cromwell had they not been divorced and executed.Henry VIII gives them what they want.
Relationships: Catherine of Aragon/Original Character(s), Henry VIII of England/Original Character(s), Thomas Cromwell/Original Female Character, Thomas Culpeper/Katherine Howard
Kudos: 11





	1. A prince is born

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry had his son Henry and five years later Princess Mary.

Queen Katherine of Aragon and King Henry VIII had welcomed their son Prince Henry, Duke of Cornwall on New Years Day 1511 and the whole of England rejoiced for a prince was born. That meant my father's dynasty won't die with me, Henry thought as he held his newborn.

"Are you happy, Henry?" Katherine asked, the Spanish accent evident in her voice.

Henry beamed widely. "Yes, Katherine. We have our son. England has her prince. The people will love him." He could see the future: after Henry he will have many children - mostly sons - with Katherine so the Tudor line can continue.

As years passed, Prince Henry, aka Harry to avoid confusion with his father, grew to be a strong and healthy young boy and when he was five, he learnt he was a big brother to a baby sister on February 18th 1516.

"What's her name, Mama?" He asked Katherine, being the curious child that he was. "Is she to be a princess?"

Katherine smiled warmly at her son. "Her name is Mary and yes, she is to be a princess."


	2. Magic and muggle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miguel, Margaret and Luke go to court and find out what it's like.

1528\. Miguel Webb, Margaret Hall and Luke Halls were brought to the palace to serve as attendants to the royal family. They each had a secret: they had magic, but had to conceal it lest they get killed for it. They were all from non-noble backgrounds but Miguel's family served Katherine of Aragon.

"I hope they will be welcoming," Miguel answered, voice of honey and Spanish accent within.

"Of course," Luke assured him. "Your mother must have told you how happy the English people were to have Henry and Katherine as their rulers."

The herald came to announce the arrival of the family. "Their Majesties the King and Queen. Their Highnesses Prince Henry Duke of Cornwall and Princess Mary of Wales. Make way!"

Everyone parted like the Red Sea and bowed when the royal couple and their two children walked in.

\----

The sweating sickness spreaded like a wildfire, claiming many lives, including Henry's friend Sir William Compton who was lover to Thomas Tallis.

Margaret was praying that her friends Luke and Miguel had not died. She saw the King Henry with another - definitely not Katherine, she noted - woman, younger, pretty and as witty as the queen. 

"Who is she?"

The Earl of Wiltshire, Thomas Boleyn, answered. "Anne Boleyn and she will be the next Queen of England."

_No,_ Margaret thought. _While Katherine is alive, she is England's true queen. No one will ever take her place._ "The day Anne becomes the next queen of England is the day pigs fly. After Katherine will be her son Henry and then his sister Mary. You just want to gain power and you don't give a damn who gets hurt. You won't be a duke either, with your behaviour. Good day, sir." With that, she turned on her heel and left.

Boleyn just stared after her retreating form. He went to look for his son George so they can discuss a way to get rid of Margaret. If she was going to be a political threat to them, they weren't going to take any chances. She and her family had got to go.

\----

Another day at court. Margaret kept herself busy with obeying orders from Queen Katherine and embroidery. She admired the woman and strove to be a good Catholic and to be strong and true to herself and her heart. She hoped that someday Henry will be a good king like his father and Mary will be a good queen like her mother.

Then fate ran its course and decided to play games. It happened when Margaret was returning to Katherine's chambers with some fabric to make dresses but on the way back she rounded a corner and bumped into someone. "Sorry," she apologised. "I didn't see you there." She took a good look at the person in front of her.

He wore black, though some parts of his clothing was white such as what looked like the ruff and the sleeves, black shoes and had black hair.

"It's quite alright," he said. "If it makes you feel better, I didn't see where I was going either."

Margaret flashed a smile. "Hi. I'm Margaret Hall. What's your name?"

"Thomas. Thomas…Cromwell."

"You were the one next to Wolsey, right, in the chapel?"

"Yeah. He helped me become the king's secretary."

"Good for you. Well, Thomas, it was lovely meeting you." She noticed he had managed to catch the fabric she had dropped. "Thank you. May I have the material back please?"

"Sure. And it was lovely meeting you too." He handed back the fabric.

Margaret waved. "Bye, Master Cromwell."

"Bye, Mistress Hall."

Mark, Margaret's brother and a handsome bloke, warned her and Audrey, Margaret's pretty blond sister, of the deceitful ways of courtiers and how they can play people. "Always be on guard. Some men may look at you with lust in their hearts." He didn't want his sisters to get hurt.

When Margaret had finished her dressmaking, she got to her desk, grabbed a piece of parchment and started writing.

Meanwhile, one of Cromwell's attendants came to him with a letter. "For you, Mr Secretary."

"Thank you, Timothy," said Cromwell.

Timothy bowed and scurried off.

It was only after he had completed his tasks from the king that Cromwell read the letter:

_Dear Mr Secretary,_

_If you receive this letter, it is to say that I hope you enjoy your role as the King's Royal secretary and having him dictate what to write to leaders like the Emperor and Francis of France. Congratulations!_

_As for me, serving a queen like Katherine is an honour because she is unreservedly kind and warm to her servants. No one will ever replace her in the people's hearts._

_I hope we can meet face-to-face again someday in the future. One of the topics I wish to discuss is the Reformation._

_Your friend,_

_Mistress Hall._

The Reformation? What would Margaret know about it, unless she was one of them?

Deciding to retire, Cromwell bid Timothy goodnight and then went to his chambers. He'll write a response tomorrow when he slept on it before breakfast.

His response could something be like:

_Dear Mistress Hall,_

_Thank you for your letter and your congratulations to my role of Royal Secretary to the king._

_Just as it is an honour for you to serve the queen, it is an honour for me to serve His Majesty. I am sure that no one can replace Katherine as Henry's wife._

_We can meet up face-to-face to talk of the Reformation._

_How does after dinner in the corridor sound to you? Then we can proceed to my chambers._

_Your friend,_

_Mr Secretary._


	3. Secret meeting and dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Margaret meets Cromwell and wonders of the future.

1536\. At night, Margaret snuck out of her room, creeping down the corridor to meet with her friend in his chambers. She was invited in. "Hi. You ok?"

Cromwell nodded. 

"Sorry if you were about to go to sleep or something like that," apologised Margaret. Ever since Anne became queen and the good queen Katherine had passed away, there was a feeling of dread and Anne was paranoid that the Lady Mary would try to kill her.

"No. It's fine. It would not do well for courtiers to gossip." Cromwell couldn't risk his position of Lord Chancellor and Secretary to others seeing him with one of Anne's attendants. Anne would be fuming and likely have Margaret banished.

Margaret watched Cromwell for a moment, wondering if it would be safe to tell him her opinion of the Reformation. "I don't think Protestants are heretics. To me, heresy is saying God doesn't exist. Protestants just want English people to understand the word of God. I admire Thomas More, but not his action of burning."

Cromwell agreed. He had recalled one of his conversations with More back when he was still alive - he didn't need to be a matyr, he could have signed the Oath and remain alive with his family:

_Thomas Cromwell: "You condemn all Reformers as heretics, then?"_

_Sir Thomas More: "Wolsey was far too soft on them. I intend not to be."_

_Cromwell: "...Will you burn them?"_

Cromwell did not approve of his answer and had been angered by the burnings. Thanks to Wolsey's teachings, he learnt that some things were best not said out loud.

In the candlelight, he could see that Margaret was a young woman of great beauty, especially with her raven hair. "You're against burning Protestants?"

"Yes. It is not nice or lawful." _But neither is the dissolution of Rome, nor destroying the monasteries. "_ Goodnight, Mr Secretary."

"Goodnight, Mistress Hall." Cromwell smiled.

\----

_Margaret had a dream. She dreamt she was at home. She was busy with her embroidery in the corner and she noticed Cromwell standing outside her window. She invited him in. "Mr Secretary."_

_"Mistress Hall," he greeted amicably._

_Margaret_ _dropped her head with a shy smile playing at her lips._

_“Yes, Cromwell.”_

_“Enough of that,” he whispered. Draping an arm over her shoulders, Cromwell leaned close and ran his lips across Margaret's temple. She shivered at the sensation. Margaret's knees weakened and she fought to maintain her balance._

_“Let us find your family.”_

_“No.” The word came unbidden from Margaret's lips. “Not yet.”_

_“My beautiful girl.”_

_Margaret's first kiss with Cromwell sent sparks of passion racing in her blood. She could feel both their hearts beating in the rush_.

_Then Cromwell took her to bed…_

\----

Now that she had a secret meeting and saw him at court, Margaret couldn't stop thinking of Cromwell and vice versa. Though it gladdened her heart to see him, she was secretly worried of how Anne's family (especially her ambitious father who was only an earl) and people like Suffolk would react on seeing the King's Royal Secretary with one of the Queen's ladies, their differing religions and the fact that she, Luke and Miguel had magic.

"Margaret!" Queen Anne's voice snapped the girl back to her duty of cleaning the Bible. Anne strode over.

"Majesty," Margaret said quietly, not making eye contact as per protocol on addressing monarchs. She hoped Anne would not find out the truth.

"Go and fetch me something from the kitchens and, while you're at it, Mr Secretary. I have something I wish to discuss."

"Yes, Madam." Margaret curtsied and hurried off to the kitchen to get some fruit before bumping into Luke. "Luke!"

"Maggie! How are things?"

"Very well. Where can I find the King's secretary?"

"This way." Luke escorted her through vast corridors until they reached a set of oak doors. "He should be in there."

Margaret thanked her friend, walked in after being announced to find Cromwell reading a book.

Two men stood up at her arrival. One of them turned to Cromwell. "Mr Secretary," he said.

Cromwell looked up from the book to the man who had called him and then Margaret. He closed the book. "Mistress Hall."

The two men - probably attendants, Margaret wondered - left and closed the doors behind them.

"You wished to see me?"

"No. Yes. I mean," Margaret took a deep breath, "the Queen wished to see you. See you at the Queen's chambers." She hurried to the chambers of Anne. "Your food, Madam." She placed the apples and pears on the table and curtsied.

That evening, Luke and Miguel came to visit and enquired after her family.

"My stepmother got Anne a mirror," Margaret answered. "Sometimes, I hear it speaking to Anne, sometimes to me."

Mark arrived and looked around for any eavesdroppers. "Does Cromwell know you have magic?"

Margaret shook her head.

"Some say Cromwell is untrustworthy to anyone but the king and is no one's true friend," Luke said like he was at a funeral. 

"Well, he seemed alright when I spoke to him. I would know if he wasn't a friend." Though Margaret wasn't keen on Anne as she was with Katherine, she agreed with the woman - whom Brandon and Chapuys and Lady Mary called 'harlot' 'whore' and 'concubine' - that the assets from the monasteries that Cromwell dissolved could be used for actual reformations like turning them into schools and charitable and educational purposes, not to make the king the richest and most powerful man in Europe.

"Just… be careful." Mark gave a small smile. "On the other hand, if he makes you happy, and you're happy, we're happy. Well, maybe not Anne or Ravenna, but they don't count. You mentioned the mirror being magic. In what way?"

"It told Anne to marry Lady Mary off to some rich merchant. With me, it told me to take on the face and dress of the king's royal secretary and tell his majesty to restore Mary to the succession and give her back her rightful title of princess."

Could she have a life with Cromwell without judgement?


	4. Come to me, Ravenheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Seymour brothers plot to make Jane queen and Margaret prays no one finds out the truth.

April 4th 1536. Margaret visited a wise woman on Mark's advice, arriving at a cottage, knocked and was allowed entrance. She lowered her hood. "Hello?"

"Who comes calling?" a woman's voice asked.

"Margaret Hall. I was told you can help me." Margaret noticed a tall woman in a long white dress of silk and wavy blond hair which reminded her of Audrey and others like Eleanor Luke who was one of Anne's ladies before she had her banished and newbie Jane Seymour.

"What is the problem, dear one?" The woman asked kindly with a benign smile.

Margaret hesitated. "There is a new family at court, the Seymours. Jane is one of the queen's ladies. I worry that they would learn of my friendship - dalliance - with Thomas Cromwell."

"Who's he?"

"The king's secretary and Lord Chancellor. Other women would find the notion of ruling with Henry better, but not me."

"Why?" The wise woman queried, curious.

"The king wants a son - and only a son - to succeed him. At best, it'll be a divorce. At worst, I'll die in childbirth or lose my head. At least Thomas isn't picky on gender."

The white witch invited the young woman to sit in a nearby seat. "Anything else worrying you?"

"It's how to tell Thomas I have magic or that if we have children, the chances of magic are likely with them. Henry wants lots of sons. He has six children: Henry, Mary, Joanna, Edmund, Elizabeth and Ambrose. The Seymours want Jane to be queen and for Anne to disappear. Would it be wrong to think such a thing? Anne used to wish all Spaniards at the bottom of the sea and would see Katherine hanged than acknowledge her as her mistress."

The White witch regarded Margaret thoughtfully. "I'm sure Thomas Cromwell will understand."

"We were friends at the beginning."

"Well, there you go."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

\----

"How are we to make Jane queen if Anne lives?" Thomas Seymour asked his older brother Edward and their father John.

"We can say that Anne has been entertaining men in her chambers, flirting with them behind the king's back," suggested Edward. He had a lust for power and would grapple with anyone to be top banana. "That should get rid of the current queen and put Jane in the king's path."

"You want me to be queen?" Jane walked in and heard the talk with her male relatives.

"Yes, my dear." John spoke kindly, counselling her not to yield to the king's desires. It wouldn't do any good to his family if rumours were to spread about Jane acting like a trollop to gain the king's attention, instead of the modest, virtuous woman that she was.

Jane agreed to do as her father said.

Meanwhile, Margaret happened upon her friend Luke who had a look of worry. "What is it?"

"The Seymours." Luke glanced around for any courtiers or spies to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Edward could find out the truth, or the others. Don't let them find out."

"Okay, Luke. Mark told me Mr Cromwell gave the Seymours his private chambers so the king can visit Jane whenever he likes. Anne even grabbed him by the garments when he didn't answer her question at first. Horrible."

"Will... will you still go to see him?" Luke feared for his friend if she was caught with the king's chancellor/secretary. Margaret would be dismissed and banished from court, or worse killed.

"Yes. I have magic to help."

"I wish you the best." Luke and Margaret high fived and laughed quietly.


	5. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It comes down to a boil as Margaret has to decide either to follow her heart or her parents' wishes. Thomas learns the truth about Margaret.

Margaret laid on her bed staring at the ceiling. So long as her stepmother Ravenna, Queen Anne or - heaven forbid - Edward Seymour and his brother Thomas hadn't found out the truth, she was safe.

Audrey came to see her younger sister. "Father and Ravenna want you to marry a wealthy merchant to improve the family status. You have to ensure the Seymours don't find out. It will be likely Thomas and you might meet your fate at the Tower."

Margaret sat up in a panic. The Tower?! She couldn't bear to imagine Thomas being held prisoner in a dreaded building. Then again, Bishop John Fisher and Thomas More were imprisoned - though maybe not the Tower - and then they got beheaded for refusing to sign the Oath of Supremacy. Maybe in years to come, both men might become saints made by the Pope. "What can I do?"

"If you wish, you can elope. That's what Henry did with Anne Boleyn after Queen Katherine died."

"That's different. Henry is the king and could have any eligible maiden to be his wife and queen. Thomas Cromwell is the king's secretary and chancellor and I'm just a lady in waiting."

"Yes, but you have magic. Come on, our parents are waiting." Audrey took her young sister's hand and led her down to the sitting room where their brother and parents were waiting for them.

Ravenna turned to her youngest step-child. "Margaret, you are to marry the rich merchant's son. He may not be royalty, but he has connections."

Margaret acted like the dutiful daughter. "Yes, Ravenna."

"That's a good girl," the father, also named John, said before the dinner was laid out.

Maggie had a plan.

\----

"What is it, Mistress Hall?" Anne asked when Margaret had came up to her after making the bed.

"My parents want me to marry a wealthy merchant, but I have no interest in doing so. You had told us about not to have lewd thoughts." Margaret remembered most of the things Anne had said about: setting an example to the others, not having inappropriate thoughts, draw spiritual nourishment from Tyndale's bible, and how the men were to not visit any brothels (there was some snickering). "Ravenna wants to know whether you like her gift."

"Yes, though I imagine it tells me that I should marry off Lady Mary to a wealthy merchant. Oh, and if possible, try and persuade Mr Secretary to put the assets to better uses."

"Okay." Margaret recalled how that conversation went:

_Anne: I also hear that all the wealth and assets of the monasteries are to be transferred to the king's treasury._

_Cromwell: Indeed. I intend to make the king the richest and the most powerful king in Europe._

_Anne: But surely that wealth can be put to better uses._

_Cromwell: Better uses, madam?_

_Anne: Yes. For endowments, to charitable and educational causes, which even Wolsey did._

_Cromwell: Madam, I am surprised to hear you question the king's policy which your father and brother whole heartedly support._

_Anne: I question the policy, Mr Secretary, because I am not convinced it is the king's._

_Cromwell: Madam, I -_

_Anne: You are far too high-handed, Mr Cromwell! You ought to be careful or I'll have you cropped at the neck._

Margaret obeyed Anne's order of going to find Mr Secretary yet again and was let in by Timothy. She approached the desk. "Hello Mr Cromwell."

Cromwell looked up. "Hello Mistress Hall." 

"I'll give you two some privacy." Timothy left the room with a bow.

Margaret glanced around. "What I will say should not be repeated to anyone else. Understand?"

Cromwell nodded.

Margaret hesitated before taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. This was not something she regularly told anyone. How would he take it? "I. . . have. . . magic, Thomas."


	6. Await your fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Margaret elopes with Thomas Cromwell and everyone lives happily ever after.

20th April 1536. Mark learnt from Margaret that Thomas took the truth well, likely because of their friendship. "That's good. Any man who hurts you deserves not to be my friend or brother-in-law."

"Well said, brother." Audrey had joined her younger siblings. "You said something of a second dream. What was it?"

"I was with child. Then Father and Ravenna were demanding I tell them who the father was. I told them I didn't know and then saw on the table a raven wearing the chain of office. You know, like the one Sir Thomas More wore back when he was Chancellor and now Cromwell."

Mark and Audrey nodded. They, along with the white witch, Luke, Miguel and Timothy helped Margaret and Thomas to elope.

Margaret was a bit nervous of what was to come, but she remembered how Thomas Cromwell and she became friends and knew that he would never do anything hurtful.

That night Cromwell took her to bed…

What was the worst that could happen?

\----

1540\. Four years after her marriage to Cromwell, Margaret was talking to Audrey, Mark, Miguel and Luke and asked how they were doing with their spouses and children when she put a hand to her temple. "Oh, dear. Is the room spinning or is it just me?"

Worst case scenario: if it is not falling over in front of everyone, it is _fainting_. Mark swooped in like a hawk after the prey to catch her. "Sis, you alright?"

"Yes, brother. It's probably too crowded."

Thomas realized their union must have had a consequence. What was going to happen now?

Mark turned his head in Cromwell's direction and narrowed his eyes - not at the Chancellor, but at Edward Seymour's expression.

\----

Edward Seymour grinned to himself as he headed in the direction of the King's presence chambers.

Mark and Luke stopped him. "What are you doing, Seymour?"

"I'm going to tell His Majesty that his son Prince Edward is doing well."

Luke nodded. Henry had married the Lady Jane Seymour and with her he had a son Edward who was nearly three.

"Good luck, good sir."

When they were gone, Edward was brought before the king. "Your Majesty," he said, bowing.

"What is it, Edward?"

Edward kept grinning as he imagined what will happen after when the king learnt of what happened. "I have news, Your Majesty."

In his anger, the King confronted Thomas, assaulting and threatening him before sending him to the Tower to await his fate.

Thomas wrote Margaret what he thought will be their final letter, and Margaret was naturally quite upset over the entire situation.

"Why are you crying?" Luke asked.

"I fear, from this letter, Thomas is going to die and my child will never meet its father. Who told on him?"

Mark stormed in, face like thunder. "It was that Edward Seymour. He must have come to the same conclusion and told the king."

"I will do like Esther from the Bible and be brave. For you two, for Audrey, for Miguel, my child and Thomas Cromwell."

The next day, Margaret spoke to Henry, falling on her knees. "Your Majesty, please, have mercy on Thomas. By all that is good in this world, remember how he rose from Wolsey's protégé to your secretary and Lord Chancellor and Lord Privy. He is your most loyal servant. If he is to die, I would rather have my child raised with my brother's children and I die with Thomas than let my life continue without my friend and the man I love. I know the queen Katherine and Anne and Jane would have done the same for you." She sobbed into her hands.

The King, seeing how distraught Margaret was and how happy Thomas made her, decided to free Thomas. "Go, Margaret. You have my blessing. Live your life with Mr Cromwell." He helped her to her feet.

Margaret curtsied. "Thank you." She hurried out to find Thomas and the couple embraced. "I was worried I would never see you again. Some courtier women said you betrayed me but I didn't believe them."

Thomas smiled. "I would never betray you. How is our child?"

"Alright." Margaret gasped. "Thomas, I think it's time."

\----

Thomas Cromwell was on his knees praying in front of the cross in a church and Mark strode up to him with a big grin. He turned to look at his brother-in-law. "How is she? How is Margaret?"

Mark kept grinning. "She is doing well. Still alive, God be praised."

"And the baby?" Thomas had to know if the baby lived. He hoped with his heart it will be healthy like Margaret.

"It's a girl. You both have a daughter." Eagerly, Mark escorted Cromwell out of the church and to the room where Margaret and the baby were.

"Thanks be to God," Thomas said quietly to himself before going to see both mother and daughter.

Margaret turned to him and smiled. "Would you like to hold Grace?"

Thomas nodded before being given the baby. There was one question that had been nagging him that Margaret could answer. "Will . . . will she have magic too?"

"Yes," Margaret answered. "I had also mentioned an interest in theatre to Henry, but then said how it won't be possible because I'm a woman and only men can be actors."

"What did His Majesty say?" Audrey asked.

"It might be possible."

"I hope so."

Henry decreed to everyone how the succession was going to work. "First, it will be Henry, my firstborn son, followed by Edmund, Ambrose and Edward and then Mary, Joanna, and Elizabeth."

The courtiers applauded.

To add to the good news, to honour the late Anne, Henry even gave her cousin Katherine Howard permission to marry the groom Thomas Culpeper. Katherine Parr, aka Kate, married Thomas Seymour.

It was a golden age indeed.


End file.
